Revision [27750]
This is an old revision of 1867.03.05 Mardis Gras made by CourtPetri on 2013-02-05 20:16:48.
<#jonah: I'm sure there's lots of good stuff that happens on Mardi Gras, so I'm going to break this page out into little sections, each of which describes a particular sub-event. #>
Anyone who likes may certainly join in on this event. NeedsBill NeedsAnn NeedsKelly
Ollie sneaks out with a few of the others to check out the Mardi Gras celebrations. Not too far from the orphanage, they run across a performing troupe of black men busking for money on the street. They are doing a type of dance which Ollie has never seen before, and he is totally entranced. They are making their own percussion by slapping their hands on their thighs and torso, clapping, and stomping, all in intricate rhythms. Some of the performers sang songs to the beat, and others only kept the beat. Ollie stays and watches their entire performance, and afterwards one of the performers approaches him, having noticed Ollie's interest. "You like this? It is called Juba Dance." Ollie understands and speaks enough English by this point to understand the man, and nods furiously. Ollie then goes about trying to imitate the performance, slapping his hands sloppily on his body. The man laughs and says, "Good! Here, let me show you how to do it." He and Ollie spend the next half hour together practicing, and Ollie comes away with some of the basic moves. Later that night, he brings his new skill back to the tower, and plays some rhythms along with the others playing music. It's a hobby he keeps.
<#court: Jeanne watches the impromptu lesson with enthusiasm, and although she plays along a little, she mostly enjoying Ollie's excitement and paying attention to the rhythms, thinking about what a great accompaniment she could make later in the tower with the washboard. #>
(For reference, here's what hamboning looks like today. It's not really known what exactly it looked like in the 1860s, except that it involved probably a bit more dancing. http://youtu.be/K4pSdDBI3Ws)
